Hemingway helps Loris hold off pesky St. James

The St. James football team had a good game plan going into Friday night’s season opener at Loris. Unfortunately for the Sharks, they didn’t have an answer for Waderek Hemingway.

Hemingway scored three touchdowns, including an 80-yard punt return just before halftime that allowed the Lions to break the game open and go on to a 33-21 victory over the visiting Sharks.

Following the first of two touchdowns by Loris’ Quantavious Soles, St. James claimed its only lead of the game at 7-6 on a 10-yard touchdown run by Chris Anderson and the PAT. But Hemingway found paydirt for the first time on a 2-yard run, then added the impressive punt return for a 20-7 halftime lead.

The Sharks (0-1) kept it close as quarterback Berkeley Young found Garrick Lee-Jordon for a TD pass to cut the deficit to 20-14. But Soles broke loose for a 28-yard TD to extend the lead. Young scored on a QB sneak in the fourth quarter to make it a six-point game again, but Hemingway iced the game with his hat trick TD late to lead the Lions (1-0) to the win.

St. James travels to Hilton Head next week while Loris travels to take on rival North Myrtle Beach.